Valencia’s Renaixença: Stages, Writers, and Legacy
The Stages of Valencia’s Renaixença
The Beginning (1830-1859)
Some writers began to use our language in various poems: Peyrolon, Escorigüela, Villaroya, etc. Slowly, they incorporated new European literature, especially Romanticism, spread by a group of liberal intellectuals. Among them was the historian Vicenç Boix, author of History of the Kingdom of Valencia. His historical novels of the medieval period, despite being written in Spanish, helped the birth of the Renaixença feeling.
Consolidation (1859-1878)
This period begins with the restoration of the Floral Games at the Auditorium of the University of Valencia. The initiative came from Mallorcan Mariano Aguiló, and was reflected in the Valencians Teodor Llorente and Vicent Wenceslau Querol, awarded for their poems. These Floral Games were bilingual poetry contests that sought to imitate the Jocs Florals of Barcelona. The themes reflected the trilogy of Fatherland, Faith, and Love, which corresponded to the three awards given: the Englantina d’or, the Viola d’or, and the Flor Natural. The literary style was nostalgic, focused on landscapes, and detached from reality.
Height (1878-1909)
This period saw greater involvement with the movement, led by a group of progressive writers concerned with consolidating the Renaixença. They founded “Lo Rat Penat,” defined as a “Society of lovers of Valencia and the glories of its ancient kingdom.” It hosted conferences on Valencian issues, poetry recitals, plays, and especially the annual celebration of the Floral Games.
Groups of Writers
Moderate Cultivators
These writers had conservative ideas and a university education. They used Spanish except when writing poetry, utilizing an archaic and elitist language. Led by Teodor Llorente, they had an idealized vision of our historical past. Wenceslau Querol had many ties with Barcelona, showing an openness to foreign influence.
Liberal and Populist Writers
Known as the poetes d’espardenya (espadrille poets). Led by Constantí Llombart, and with theater represented by Eduard Escalante, they were self-taught, belonging to the middle class, and followed progressive linguistic ideas. They defended colloquial and often vulgar language, with a strong influence from Castilian at the lexical level, and were largely unknown outside Valencia. They published in newspapers and magazines of the time, often satirical works, reflecting the diglossic and Castilianized society. Their publications appeared in La Donsayna, El Tabalet, El Mole, and El Bou.
Summary of Valencia’s Renaixença
- Linguistic: Diglossia in urban areas, a divide between cultivated and populist poets, and little interest in the study of grammar.
- Ideological: Elimination of social problems, a conservative vision of the world and culture that prevented any attempt at innovation.
- Literary: Practically nonexistent narrative, stagnation of Llorente’s aesthetics, and an excessive focus on and exaltation of the past.
- Social: The Valencian Renaixença was an elitist intellectual movement that did not reach the common people.
Teodor Llorente
Works
Verses de Joventut (Youthful Verses): Translations of European Romantic authors into Castilian and their introduction into Valencian.
Lo conciliador (The Conciliator): Contains the first manifestations in our language. It includes poems like “Al meu llibre” (“To My Book”), which gathers the author’s two major passions: literature and his homeland. The only sonnet he wrote in Valencian is a historical evocation with images of the Mediterranean Sea and its Hellenic and Latin roots: “A les muntanyes” (“To the Mountains”), which displays intense lyricism, particularly Llorente’s entertainment. His best-known poem is “La barraca” (“The Shack”), which shows a humanized land and the peasants with whom the author communicates. Among the award-winning poems from the Floral Games are “Cartes de soldat” (“Soldier’s Letters”) and “Pro Patria,” which demonstrate the suitability of the language of the people.